How are relatives removed

[Tigger1]

I had inlaws who spoke of relatives twice removed. How is this possible? What where they talking about?

Tigger

 

[Dan Murphy]

Most relatives, like second cousins, are really not second cousins, but rather first cousins, once removed. 2nd cousins, or 3rd, is just easier to say. (I think it is a math thing, LOL )

 

[fantasymagic]

I "think" this is how it works. Your kids and your sister/brother's kids are first cousins. Each of their kids are second cousins to each other. But I think the second cousin's relation to the first cousin is the removed part.

So, let's say Billy and Susie are first cousins. Billy has a son--Billy, Jr. Susie has a daughter--SusieQ.

Billy, Jr. and SusieQ are second cousins.

SusieQ is Billy's first cousin once removed and Billy, Jr. is Susie's first cousin, once removed. Now if SusieQ had a daughter Minnie, Minnie would be Billy, Jr.'s cousin once removed and Billy's cousin twice removed.

It get's confusing. Now I know why they draw family trees.

Hopefully another DISer will correct me if I got this wrong.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just don't marry your first cousin.

 

[Phrebert]

Tigger1 I had inlaws who spoke of relatives twice removed. How is this possible?

A gun?

 

[Tigger1]

The gun theory is the easiest to understand, but I think I finally understand the other one too.

Tigger

 

[Melissa R]

To understand it, you have to have a starting point. With the example from before with Billy and Susie, you start with their common relationship - lets make it Grandpa. They're on the same "level" for lack of a better word. They're both related to Grandpa the same - they're the grandkids. Their kids are a "level" down, being the great-grandkids. Their kids, the great-great grandkids, are another level down.

So when you're on a different "level" from someone, that's where the removal comes in. Billy is SusieQ's first cousin once removed because there's one level (or generation, I guess, now that I think about it) difference. They're not related to Grandpa in the same way - one is a grandkid and another is a great-grandkid.

Therefore, the "twice removed" means they are two levels (generations) difference. Billy (the grandkid) and SusieQ's child (the great great grandkid) are first cousins twice removed. Billy Jr and Susie Q are second cousins - no removal because they are related to Grandpa in the same way - both are great-grandkids.